Compare towns
Montgomery vs Waltham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Montgomery | Waltham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,047 |
452Lowest |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
48.1±5.5Lowest 12% above VT |
| Waltham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.9%±8.2 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waltham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Waltham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
| Waltham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 58% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.